Missouri
Southern Illinois
MU Softball Team Drops NCAA Opener to Southern Illinois
5/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 20, 2005
Columbia, Mo. -- The 15th-ranked Missouri softball team (42-14) was shutout for only the third time of the season, 3-0, by No. 22 Southern Illinois (47-12) in the NCAA Softball Regional tournament opener at University Field in Columbia, Mo. The loss drops the Tigers into tomorrow's, 3:30 p.m. (CT) game against the loser of tonight's 6 p.m. (CT) Stanford/Robert Morris game.
Unable to capitalize on any of their seven hits, senior Tiger pitcher Erin Kalka (Chandler, Okla.) gave up three runs on five hits to the SIU offense, fanning four batters during her six innings of work from the circle. Kalka twirled a three inning no hitter before SIU right fielder Tiffanie Dismore knocked a top of the fourth single down the left field line. The hit advanced SIU leadoff hitter Krystal Stein, who reached first on MU's only error of the game, to second base, and both runners advanced after designated player Katie Jordan walked. With the bases loaded, Saluki centerfielder Maria Damico connected on the team's second hit up the middle and sent Stein home for the go-ahead run. Damico, 2-of-3 on the day, helped SIU secure their lead, pounding a two-run homer over the centerfield fence in the top of the sixth.
Missouri freshman designated player Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) blasted the team's only extra base hit of the game. Taking two bags on a one out stand up double in the bottom of the first inning, Bruck was stranded on base as SIU right-handed ace Amy Harre retired back-to-back Tiger batters with a strikeout and groundout.
"Offensively, I was real pleased with how hard we hit the ball," Head Coach Ty Singleton said. "A couple of times we made it a little more difficult than what it was. When we got a couple of pitches to hit we didn't drive it, we hit some weak ground balls in those situations. The thing I know about this team is they have the character and determination to still win this tournament."
Today's 3-0 shutout marked the third time of the season that the Tigers were held scoreless. Fourth-ranked Texas is the only other team to shutout Missouri.
NCAA Softball Regional tournament competition will continue with tonight's 6 p.m. (CT) game against sixth-seeded Stanford and Robert Morris. Southern Illinois and the winner of tonight's game will battle tomorrow at University Field with first pitch slated for noon.
